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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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021 489 220 



KANSAS 

AS A FEUIT STATE. 



In 1850 Kansas was practically treeless. Along 
the larger streams, where a rocky bluff bordered 
the south or west side as a protection from prairie 
fires, across the stream from the bluff, generally 
a rich bottom, contained a growth of timber. As 
the country became settled and farms were opened 
the prairie fires were checked, and these timber 
belts have widened out, so that there are thou- 
sands of acres of natural forest in Kansas now 
where there were only hundreds in 1860. Our 
citizens have not only encouraged this extension, 
but have planted thousands of acres in addition. 
The belief in the late '50's and early '60's was 
general, that these treeless plains were not natu- 
rally adapted to tree growth, especially fruit-tree 
growth, and when a few adventurous parties 
planted orchards they met little encouragement 
in the dire prophecies of loss and disaster of their 
incredulous neighbors. 

But there were wild strawberries all along the 
Santa Fe trail, blackberries and raspberries of 
fine quality in the timber openings and along 
the bayous and ravines, wild grapes climbed the 



trees, wild cherries were common, and wild 
plums of many varieties grew in great abundance 
over many miles of the territory. Why should 
not fruit do well here under cultivation? 

Those who early tried found they had reckoned 
well ; the newly planted trees grew vigorously, 
showing perfect health and that the soil suited 
them, and, to the surprise of the planters, the}* 
bore fruit while ver}* young ; some the third year 
from setting, a thing never heard of in the East. 
Trees in nursery rows only two years of age have 
produced good apples in Kansas. So early and 
so vigorously did fruit-trees grow and bear fruit, 
that wonderful stories were circulated about 
walking-sticks stuck in the soil and fence stakes 
driven in place which fruited two years after ; 
that grape and pear cuttings could be thrust into 
the virgin soil almost anywhere and would soon 
produce fruit. 

Those stories attracted the attention of many 
unscrupulous nurserymen with surplus and over- 
grown nursery stock in states farther east, and 
from 1869 to 1875 car-load after car-load of mis- 
named, stunted, irregular and degenerate fruit- 
trees were unloaded on the settlers, at top prices 
and in immense quantities. No farmer thought 
he had a home until he had an orchard. Those 
tree merchants were so clever, so accommodating, 
so very wise, and they gave away freely so much 
advice which would surely (?) lead to success, 
that willingly they were paid their exorbitant 
prices, their labels were considered scripture-true, 
and they parted company with a ' ' God bless you ' ; 



to the planter and compliments to his bright, at- 
tractive wife. A very few years after, when the 
little, knotty seedlings or abandoned and never- 
nseful varieties came to bear a few scattering 
specimens, these same planters would have liked 
a few minutes' earnest conversation with the rene- 
gade who sold them the trees. 

During this era when the wonderful success of 
a few caused exaggerated ideas to prevail, that 
any old thing would produce fruit if planted in 
Kansas soil, millions of trees were set out that 
were only a disappointment and a delusion — they 
have since become only a memory ; but such lack 
of success discouraged many. 

During this period, in 1869, the Kansas State 
Horticultural Society began its work. A few 
citizens with the true missionary spirit of mak- 
ing the world better organized it ; and its work 
up to the present time has been worth untold 
millions to the state. Its members have labored 
incessantly along all experimental lines, using 
their own money, labor and talents to develop 
the best means and to discover the best varieties, 
and to study out how to plant, cultivate, prune, 
pick, pack, store and market all fruits adapted to 
this climate, and to give this information free to 
all inquirers. No fruit-growers are more ener- 
getic, intelligent, industrious and beneficial to 
their state than those belonging to the Kansas 
State Horticultural Society ; as a result, the lar- 
gest apple orchards in the world are in Kansas. 

Judge Fred. Wellhouse, of Topeka, has 1636 
acres ; and, at the age of seventy-four, with all 



the enthusiasm of youth he is growing the young - 
trees to plant 120 acres more. He once filled! 
twenty- two cars, all going in one train, with 
Kansas Ben Davis apples of finest quality, for 
one man, who took them to New York city. 

In the last twelve years Judge Wellhouse has; 
grown in Kansas nearly one-half million bushels- 
of apples, for which he received an average of 
twenty-eight cents per bushel. He has increased 
his orchards until now he has more than 1600 acres 
in Leavenworth, Miami and Osage counties. 

When the seasons are as favorable as the season 
of 1902, he raises from 60,000 to 80,000 bushels.. 
In hot and dry seasons his yield falls as low as- 
400 bushels. In the season of 1893 he did not 
pick the crop at all. 

The judge's original venture in apple raising- 
was on a 120-acre tract, planted in 1876 near 
Leavenworth. The land was poor in quality, so 
far as the production of wheat or corn was con- 
cerned, and many looked upon his venture with 
doubt. It was successful. In 1878 he planted 
another quarter-section ; in 1879 he planted an 
additional quarter, and increased his plantings a& 
follows : In 1889 he planted 250 acres in Leaven- 
worth county ; in 1890, 540 acres in Osage county ;. 
in 1894, another 270-acre tract in Leavenworth 
county, and in 1896, another 140 acres in the 
same section. 

The leading varieties are as follows : Ben Davis y 
620 acres ; Winesap, 76 acres ; Missouri Pippin y 
409 acres ; Jonathan, 190 acres ; York Imperial,, 



150 acres ; Gano, 160 acres ; Maiden's Blush, 16 
acres ; Cooper's Early, 16 acres. 

The yield of fruit by years has been as follows : 
18S0, 1594 bushels; 1881, 3887 bushels; 1882, 
12,097 bushels ; 1883, 12,338 bushels ; 1884, 11,- 
726 bushels ; 1885, 15,373 bushels ; 1886, 34,909 
bushels; 1887, 33,790 bushels ; 1888, 20,054 bush- 
els ; 1889, 14,307 bushels ; 1890, 79,170 bushels ; 
1891, 63,689 bushels; 1892, 793 bushels; 1893, 
no harvest, crop being ruined by hail-storms ; 
1894, 47,374 bushels; 1895, 59,138 bushels ; 1896, 
784 bushels ; 1897, 3758 bushels ; 1898, 3639 bush- 
els ; 1899, 488 bushels; 1900, 88,940 bushels; 
1901, 33,464 bushels. 

This year he expects to harvest a crop of 60,000 
or 70,000 bushels. Although there have been 
some total failures recorded, the apple business 
has paid. 

In the years when he picked 80,000 bushels or 
more, Mr. Wellhouse's expenses were nearly $15,- 
000 annually ; his receipts for 1890 were $52,000. 
In his years of apple raising he has realized a net 
profit of $104,000, not considering the increased 
value of his holdings in Kansas land. 

Mr. Wellhouse has found the Ben Davis apple 
to be the most profitable, while the Jonathan has 
yielded the most bushels to the acre. Missouri 
Pippin comes second in yield and Ben Davis 
third. On Fairmount Hill, near Leavenworth, 
he has erected a large packing plant, and another 
at Tonganoxie, and his shipments of fruit are 
made to Kansas City, Chicago, New York, Bos- 
ton, and other points. 



There are many large orchards, and many of 
our growers have this year from 5000 to 10,000 
bushels of apples. Our state ranks fifth in num- 
ber (12,000,000) of apple trees in bearing, Mis- 
souri, New York, Illinois and Ohio only being 
ahead of us. We will soon be second only to Mis- 
souri. Kansas apples, especially Ben Davis, 
Missouri Pippin, and Jonathan, are said by spe- 
cialists from Washington, D. C, to be the best 
in the world. 

In the whole Union, only thirty counties con- 
tain over 400,000 apple trees ; two of these coun- 
ties, viz., Doniphan and Leavenworth, are in 
Kansas. In Kansas, apples grow on upland or 
lowland, rolling land or level plain, and our peo- 
ple are putting out between one and two million 
trees per year. 

Pears do elegantly and bear abundantly, of 
most luscious quality. We have pear blight, but 
no more than the other states. 

Our state is the home of the peach, 'and abun- 
dant crops are grown in nearly all parts of it. 
Many car-loads are annually shipped out to North- 
ern and Eastern points. 

Plums of the most-approved varieties grow 
readily in every county, and wild plums along 
the Arkansas river, by the hundreds of acres, are 
a sight worth coming a long distance to look upon. 
Thousands of bushels of plums waste each year 
for want of a market. 

Cherries are a sure crop, and often bring $250 
an acre to the grower. 



Mulberries, nectarines, apricots, persimmons, 
all grow and bear well. 

Grapes, from Delaware to Concord, with all 
between — even so-called California varieties — are 
easily grown and are always plentiful. Our peo- 
ple raise them for the table and do not abuse this 
great blessing by any process of ferment, decay 
Or rot in order to make an intoxicant, under 
whose influence they may insult and blaspheme 
Him to whom we owe this luscious, health-giving 
fruit. If God had the passions of man, no grape- 
vine whose fruit was made into an intoxicant 
would survive. Kansans — men, women, and 
children — eat grapes in abundance. 

Kansas is the home of the berry ; no finer 
strawberries, raspberries or blackberries are grown 
in quantity anywhere ; and several of the best- 
paying varieties originated here. Strawberries 
often yield over 300 bushels per acre. 

Vegetables of every kind found in the market 
grow luxuriantly in Kansas. 

Watermelons weighing sixty to seventy-five and 
even ninety pounds are shown at our fairs, and 
their quality is of the very best. Muskmelons 
equaling the famous Rocky Fords are plentiful 
everywhere. Many a farmer boy drops a few 
melon seeds in the midst of a big corn-field and 
regales himself and his fellows off of the products. 

Celery of equal quality, and several times larger 
than that from Kalamazoo, Mich., is readily 
grown in Kansas. 

Eggplant, asparagus and all the commoner 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 489 220 



vegetables are as common in Kansas homes as 
anywhere. 

If you want all the good things that will grow 
out of earth in the temperate zone, and want 
them in season and out of season on your tables ; 
if you want your boys and girls to have vigorous 
bodies and clear, quick, snappy brains ; if you 
want to make the world better and its future 
population of a higher grade ; if you want to live 
happy and spend your declining years in serene, 
calm enjoyment, and then make the shortest cut 
to the happ}^ hereafter, you should at once gather 
your shekels and your progeny and hale to Kan- 
sas, and get a little, or big, patch of her beautiful, 
bountiful soil, and mix with her wonderful people. 

WILLIAM H. BARNES, 

Secretary State Horticultural Society, 
Topeka, Kan. 



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